


Sanctuary

by ThereIsNoTragedyInThat



Series: Spirits and Cocaine [30]
Category: Narcos (TV)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Full Disclosure, I don't like this one, M/M, Mild Angst, No Plot/Plotless, Short & Sweet, protective Javier Peña, tired Steve Murphy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-13
Updated: 2021-03-13
Packaged: 2021-03-21 15:34:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 920
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30023949
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThereIsNoTragedyInThat/pseuds/ThereIsNoTragedyInThat
Summary: Javier just wanted a little bit of peace and quiet.
Relationships: Steve Murphy/Javier Peña
Series: Spirits and Cocaine [30]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2100027
Comments: 8
Kudos: 19





	Sanctuary

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Falling asleep in lap
> 
> So, my muse abandoned me on this one so its a bit short and it doesn't quite feel right but hopefully the next will be better.

The sun is high in the sky, its early morning warmth slowly giving way to a stiffer, sweaty kind of heat that Javier knew would leave his clothes clinging stickily to his skin. He sat with his back against a tall tree, whose branches, thick with leaves, work hard to provide a meagre shade to the figures beneath it.

Steve lay with his head in Javier’s lap, eyes closed peacefully, chest moving with each steady inhale and exhale. He wasn’t asleep, not really, though if he happened to drift, Javier wouldn’t disturb him. Sleep had been difficult these past few weeks, for both of them, a constant struggle often achieved only through too much alcohol.

He’d thought a change of pace, of scenery, might do them both some good.

This place was just where the forest began to fade into the hills. Trees were dotted across the grassy landscape and Javier had driven his truck a ways over the bumpy terrain until they were off any well-trodden paths, until they wouldn’t have to worry about anyone suddenly coming upon them.

But he still kept his gun close.

“We should head back soon.”

Steve startled him, drawing his gaze down to find his partner blinking up at him. His voice was tired, dark bruises sitting starkly beneath his eyes and Javier felt an ache in his heart for the man, “we got time. No rush.”

“Messina is gonna wonder where we are,” he insisted.

Sighing, Javier reached down and deftly undid the top three buttons of Steve’s shirt in rapid succession, ignoring the way he furrowed his brows, “you never know what’s good for you Murphy,” he muttered, sliding a calloused hand over his exposed chest and rubbing soothing circles into his skin. “Just shut up and relax.”

Steve’s hands twitched where they were folded over his stomach as he grumbled, “don’t call me Murphy.”

“Don’t be an idiot.”

“I just meant-”

“Steve.” Javier didn’t meet his eyes, kept them firmly on his own hand and tried to ignore the swell of emotion in his chest. “We need this, we need a break.”

Something must have shown in his face because his partner didn’t argue, reached up and gripped the hand on his chest instead, squeezing softly. Swallowing thickly, Javier let his eyes flicker to his face, found a devastating understanding in their depths.

He hadn’t had the words to explain these past couple of weeks, just how on edge he was. Things had been bad, bodies were piling up, the media couldn’t seem to tell the good from the bad anymore and Javier was starting to feel like he was drowning.

This wasn’t going to fix any of that, not really, and Javier was long past being naïve enough to think a few minutes in the fresh air could. Still, this was the first time in a long time that he didn’t feel tense, like he was waiting for the other shoe to drop. He wanted to focus on the little things for right now, didn’t want to think about anything besides the rustle of the leaves, Steve’s weight in his lap, and the sunlight beaming down from above…he just wanted this.

“You know I love you,” Steve murmured.

Javi leaned his head back against the tree, shut his eyes, “I know.”

His partner hummed, squeezed his hand again before letting it go. Javier felt him shift around a little bit, head turning more toward him and then he was exhaling heavily, body going still. The silence that followed was peaceful, comfortable, something they’d gotten really good at after all the stakeouts they’d been on. Sometimes the quiet didn’t need to be filled, in fact, it rarely did if at all.

Time moved sluggishly and Javier didn’t sleep, didn’t drift off, only stared at the sky and felt the sweat slowly roll down his temple and follow the line of his throat. He deliberately didn’t look at his watch, tried to pretend like they had all the time in the world to just sit here, far away from the city, the embassy, the war.

Only when Steve made a soft noise, not quite a whimper sometime later in his lap, did he look back down at his partner. Javier found him with his eyes closed, mouth open just a little, body still, completely asleep. The warmth that spread throughout his chest was coupled with a wave of relief as he watched his partner finally, _finally_ drift off without seemingly a care in the world.

The hand he left on Steve’s chest drifted up, fingers skating lightly over the skin of his throat, his chin, tracing the ship of his parted mouth, taking his time. Javier watched his face closely, ready to withdraw at the first sign this might wake him, but he didn’t react to his touch at all.

Already, Javier knew they wouldn’t be leaving until Steve woke up, which might be minutes or hours, he didn’t care. Messina would be frustrated, maybe a little bit pissed but Javi didn’t think she’d actually mind all that much. She was good at her job, dedicated and ready to put her head down and do what needed to be done…yet there was a humanity in her, someone who looked after her own. He didn’t think she would begrudge them this, not after the week they’d had.

Smiling just a little, Javier let his head fall back against the tree and after a time, he even began to fall asleep.


End file.
